The guard pointed his rifle at the robbers who were trying to loot ATM cash van in Lokhandwala, Kandivli East. That's when they got scared and fled from the spot

A CCTV grab of the robbery attempt in Lokhandwala, Kandivli East, last week

The Samta Nagar police have launched a manhunt for a gang of robbers that allegedly tried to loot an ATM cash van in Lokhandwala, Kandivli East, last week. It was thanks to the brave and alert security guard that they had to flee empty-handed.

According to police sources, the robbers, unidentified as yet, had gathered outside an ATM on November 22 around 3 pm. After bank officials arrived with the van to fill the machine, two robbers held the guard at gunpoint, assuming he was unarmed. The guard, however, retorted by pointing his rifle at them. That's when they got scared, fired a round in the air and fled from the spot.

No one from the bank or the ATM cash management service company reported it to the police. But the Samta Nagar cops found out about it from sources and summoned the bank officials, after checking CCTV footage that had captured the entire incident.

When asked why they didn't come to lodge a complaint, the bank officials and guard said because nothing was taken and no one was injured. Shocked, officers filed an FIR. Explaining what had happened, police sources said two cash loader engineers had gone to put cash in the machine.

As they moved towards the kiosk with the cash, guard Maruti Suryawanshi behind, one accused waiting outside pulled out a gun and pointed it at the guard, while the other tried to snatch the bag. But the guard's rifle scared the two away. "CCTV footage shows them running in the same direction. Probe revealed another associate was waiting 100 metres away on a bike, and the trio fled on that," said an officer.

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